Improvement in toy pistols



H. M. Du 301s.

TOY PISTOL.

Patented Dec.5,1876.

WITNESSES ATTORNEY THE GRAPHIC CU.N.Y.

UNITED STATES PATENT HOWARD M. DU BOIS, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO EDWARD H. ALLEN AND JOHN OATHER, OF SAM-E PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN TOY PISTOLS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. [84,958, dated December 5, 1876; application filed April 22, 1876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HOWARD M. DU 1301s, of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and valuable Improvement in Wooden Pistols; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being bad to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

Figure l of the drawings is a representation of a longitudinal vertical section of my improved pistol.

This invention has relation to improvements in parlor or toy pistols; and it consists'in the arrangement and novel construction of the various devices used, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

In the annexed drawing, the letter A indicates my improved parlor-pistol, made, preferably, of wood, and provided with a handle or stock, B. The barrel of the pistol has its bore extended through the breech, and this bore is of the same diameter from end to end. 0 represents the projector-rod, which is also preferably of wood, and is provided upon one end with a cylindrical enlargement, or, having a circumferential groove, 1), near its rear edge, and a diametrical groove, 0, in its end. This rod is of nearly the same diameter as the bore, and is passed, with its small end foremost, into the barrel from the breech or the rear, and an elastic rubber band, D, the free ends of which are rigidly secured to a ring, (1, recessed into the barrel, engaged over enlargement 0. in groove 0. When thus engaged band D will be effectually prevented from slipping off breech-piece a when the projector is retracted, but may be readily takenout of the same, and the rod removed from the barrel,should the missile become jammed therein. If rod 0 be now retracted, band D will be violently stretched, and will, upon letting go, be as violently contracted, projecting the said rod into the barrel, and causing the arrow therein to be discharged at the target. E represents a trigger, of curved form, which is pivoted to vibrate in the length of the barrel in a slot, f,

formed upon the under side thereof. This trigger has upon its front end an upwardlyprojecting spur, i, at right angles to its length, which extends up through slot f in the barrel when the projector-rod is retracted, and becomes engaged with the front end of the said rod. The projectile being then inserted in the barrel, a slight touch of the finger upon the trigger will disengage the catch-spur i, and allow the band to contract and the pistol to be discharged, the breech-piece a being brought with a sharp snap in contact with the breech. In this position spur t will be held out of the barrel by the rod and an india-rubber band, g, embracing the barrel and trigger in front of the fulcrum of the latter, considerably distended. When the rod is retracted the contraction of this band will cause the said spur to re-enter the barrel and automatically engage with the projector.

In order to cause the catch to become engaged with the projector-rod automatically, I employ a (preferably) rubber band, 9, recessed into the barrel, and embracing the trigger, which, by contracting, will cause spur i to enter the barrel and effect the-desired engagement, thus leaving both hands free-the one to hold the pistol, and the other to retract the projector.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The elastic band D, having its ends secured to ring d on the barrel A, passing around breech-piece a, and engaged in transverse groove 0 in its end, substantially as specified.

2. The projector-rod 0, having cylindrical enlargement a, with transverse groove 0 in its end, and the elastic band D, engaged in the said groove, in combination with a barrel, A, open at both ends, and having a ring, 01, for the attachment of the band, substantially as specified.

3. The curved trigger E, having spur i, and vibrating in aslot upon the under side of the barrel, the plunger 0, filling the bore of the barrel, and holding the spur out of the same,

and the elastic band, embracing the barrel and trigger, in front of the pivot of the latter, combined and arranged as and for the purpose set forth.

4. The toy pistol herein described, consisting of an open-ended barrel and astock or handle, made in one piece, a projector-rod hav ing a circumferentially-grooved enlargement on one end, and the elastic band, secured to the sides of the barrel, and passing around the transversely-grooved end of the enlargement, as specified.

In testimony that I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

HOWARD M. DU BOIS. Witnesses:

A. H. SHOEMAKER, J CLARK BARNES. 

